The Last Xenite
by YusukesLover
Summary: A mysterious figure runs into our favorite team. Will this figure help them defeat Skeleton King? Or will he need to be saved? Join Chiro and the gang as they discover the secrets behind this enigma. Warning, mild violence and language
1. Prologue

Prologue

He stared out into the black abyss known as space. It was so vast he wondered as to why he never felt as though he were lost in it. He could always tell where he was, even if he never had been in the area before. It probably had something to do with the amount of time he had been out here. How many years had he been out here now? It had been so long since he had a place he settled down in for any length of time. He was never satisfied where he was. Space, with its vast openness and untamable beauty called to him every time he thought to settle down somewhere. Perhaps it was because of the freedom he had in space that he always returned to it.

He was jerked out of his musings and narrowed his eyes as he felt the presence of the evil that he had been tracking for a while now. It had finally come to a stop in the middle of an asteroid field. Why someone would stop a massive spaceship in the middle of one of the most dangerous spots in space he had no idea. Any pilot worth his training knew that it was suicide to land in the middle of an asteroid field where not even the most sophisticated computers or most intelligent scientists could completely project the trajectories of the asteroids. The most accurate ones could only predict with an accuracy of 85. He had a feeling the entity aboard was waiting for something and that the something it was waiting for was important.

The ship looked like a huge, roughly carved asteroid itself. It had huge crags jutting out from the sides and was almost completely light gray. The shadows cast upon the surface made the ship look like a human skull. It also had an ominous cloud around it. Not a visible one, but a cloud that gave anyone within one mile of the ship have a feeling of dread and made the hairs on a person's neck stand up. Its very appearance would give chills to any normal person. But he wasn't normal now was he.

He chuckled to himself slightly at that comment, but quickly turned his attention back to the ship when he saw it turn away from him. Something was coming, and he didn't want to be in the way when it did. He jumped off the asteroid at the edge of the asteroid field on which he was resting and gracefully leaped to the next one. Mid-jump, he realized that the ship he had been following was leaving and that something huge was fast approaching on his left. Try as he might, he could not avoid the inevitable collision. So he opted to protect the vulnerable parts on his body and curl up into a ball. WHAM!!

He saw a flash of silver and then darkness overtook his vision.


	2. A New Ally

Hey all this is YL (my new nickname). Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Chiro and the team finally make their appearance. ENJOY!!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story with the exception of my OC Xan.

Chapter 1: A New Ally

A resounding thud ran throughout the body of the Super Robot. Gibson, the smartest of the bunch, looked confused for a moment. "What was that?" he asked after a moment. "I know I calculated a trajectory in which we were relatively sure not to hit any asteroids." He immediately grabbed his handy calculator and began to go through the equations again.

"That didn't sound like an asteroid" commented Otto.

"You're right," said Nova; the only girl on the team. "It sounded softer than an asteroid."

Chiro, the leader of their fearless team, pondered this for a moment and then ordered, "Scan the surrounding area for life forms." The monkeys leapt into action and began the scan for life forms. Soon after, the scanner picked up the heartbeat of an inert form.

"We must have hit someone while we were flying in" reasoned Antauri.

"Sprx! Nova! Get on your space gear and go get him!" said Chiro.

"Hold on kid," said the monkey known as Sprx. "It could be a trap left for us by Skeleton King."

"Or it could be an innocent person who we hit while chasing the Skelton King. I'm not ready to take the chance of them dying because of a mistake we made" declared Chiro.

"Chiro is right", said Antauri. "We must at least check and make sure they are okay. If they are a threat, we can throw them out of the Robot later."

With that decided, Sprx and Nova put on their space gear and exited the Robot. They cautiously floated their way over to the motionless form. Once they reached the form, the discovered that the creature was not wearing an air mask. Quickly the dragged the body over to the Robot and brought him in. Gibson came rushing over and said "Take him to the sick bay. Quickly!" They rushed the stationary body over to the sick bay where Gibson began running diagnostics.

At this time, the team was able to get a good look at who they hit. If they had to hazard a guess, they would say the life form was male, as it had no breasts. But the body was extremely thin and effeminate, with a slight curve at the waist and long limbs that could be associated with a dancer's body. However, the clearly defined muscle tone showed that this organism was anything but weak. The clothing the life form wore was simple and ragged. A pair of black paints, frayed at the end, hung onto the body's hips and loosely flowed down the slender, muscled legs. Around the top of the pants, a navy blue belt ran and attached to the belt was a small cloth bag. The shirt was also black and was frayed around the sleeves. The oddest article of clothing the life form was wearing was a black mask that covered the entire face and head only having two holes through which the organism could see. The team contemplated removing the mask to help in further identification, but decided to leave it on in case they offended the organism when it found out its mask had been removed. As they were unaware of the origins of said life form, they didn't want to risk breaking a custom of the creature's home planet.

This lead to another question they had. Where was this organism from? There were no inhabited planets nearby. Where in this vast universe could this life form have come from? Their questioning was put to a halt as the organism's body began to glow a light blue color. "Gibson, what's happening?!" asked Chiro, slightly alarmed at this new development.

"I have no idea! The energy readings suddenly spiked up! Yet his brain has a wave pattern that shows he is still unconscious. It's like his body is unconsciously reacting to some outside stimulus" said Gibson, furiously checking and rechecking his readings.

"Or it could be a trap like I originally said!" said Sprx, who went into battle mode.

"WAIT!!" shouted Chiro, but before Sprx could do any damage to the body, he was thrown back.

"Oof! Hey what gives?" said Sprx, rubbing his now sore rear end.

"It seems like a barrier has been placed around the body" said Antauri, tentatively reaching out and placing a hand near the body, only to have it halt about a foot from the body. "We cannot touch him until he wakes up." All the monkeys looked at each other, wondering the same thing, 'Who was this odd creature?'


	3. An Enigma

Chapter 2: An Enigma

As he awoke, all he could see was a light gray ceiling. He turned his head to the side, groaning at the stiffness he felt in his neck. Where was he? What happened? Oh, now he remembered. He got hit while following that spaceship. He tried to sit up, only to find that he couldn't. Confused, he lifted his head from the table he lay on. Around his wrists and ankles was some kind of restraints. He grew nervous, was he a prisoner to the evil he had felt earlier? No, the atmosphere in which he was currently resting was peaceful and good. Turning his head at the sound of a door opening, he saw a blue-furred monkey come in.

"Ah! I see you are finally awake. You've been asleep for three days, you know" said the monkey, bustling about the room picking up bottles and utensils.

Slowly nodding his head, he thought to himself, 'A talking monkey…now I've seen everything.'

His response seemed to shake the monkey. "You can understand me?" it asked incredulously.

Again, he nodded.

"Well, that makes things easier" said the monkey, who went towards the intercom and said something he couldn't hear into it. "My name is Hal Gibson, but just call me Gibson. Not Hal, not sir, just Gibson."

Again he nodded. Getting a little tired of being strapped down he finally said, "Excuse me Gibson, but could you remove these restraints? I will do you no harm." His voice was a rich, deep baritone which, if he were on Earth, girls would flip for. It had a slight rasp to it though, as though he had not used his voice in a long time.

"Oh so you can talk" said the monkey who came bustling back towards him. "I'm afraid I can't take them off until you meet the rest of the team. We have our enemies who would stoop to just about any level to defeat us."

Sighing, he laid back down on the table, trying to relax until the rest of the team came down. He didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later the room contained five monkeys, a teenage boy, and himself.

The boy spoke first saying, "I'm Chiro, and this is the Hyper Force. The red one is Sprx-77 but everyone calls him Sprx. The yellow one is Nova. This one right here with the green fur is Otto. The silver one is Antauri. And this blue one you have met is Gibson."

"I am Xan" he said, cautiously looking around at the rainbow assortment of monkeys. "Could you please undo these restraints? I promise you no harm will come to you."

Sprx spoke up saying "No way! While you were out cold your body produced a massive amount of energy that nearly threw me through a wall! I say you work for Skeleton King!"

"The only way my energy would attack you is if you approached my body in a threatening manner" he said, trying to placate the obviously irate and suspicious monkey.

This comment brought silence. "You can understand us?" asked Antauri.

"Indeed. I am just as surprised as you to meet talking monkeys" he replied.

"So you know about your energy surge then?" asked Chiro, trying to discover exactly what had happened that time.

"Indeed."

This one word answer brought up an uncomfortable silence as the team was debating in their heads whether or not to press the seemingly peaceful man into fully answering the question. Well, most of the team was thinking that. Sprx was trying to decide if he should use his fists or his magnets to beat the answer out of the obviously hostile life form. He was still a little pissed that he had been thrown back by an unconscious, injured man. A soft clearing of a throat brought the team back to reality.

"Could you please undo these restraints?" asked the figure. Most of the team was shocked that he had remained polite and civil despite the fact that they had not released him yet.

Chiro hesitated for a moment before going with his gut feeling and pushing the release button for the restraints. The man, Xan, sat up rubbing his wrists and ankles to regain circulation in his limbs. He then turned to look at them and gave his thanks to Chiro. All this time the team was trying to figure out this enigma. They were snapped out of their musings when the figure began to head for the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Nova.

"I am following that evil spaceship that I was tracking when you hit me" Xan replied calmly, as though it was the most natural thing for a man who was hit by a twenty ton robot to get up and fly around space looking for a evil maniac.

"That's crazy!" shouted Chiro. "You just woke up from being seriously injured! Heck, it's amazing you _survived_ such a collision!"

"It was nothing" replied Xan. "I really must be going. There is no reason for me to stay."

"Perhaps it is beneficial that you stay aboard the Robot" spoke Antauri calmly. "We are after all pursuing the same evil."

At this Xan hesitated, waiting for an explanation.

"The person aboard that ship is known as the Skeleton King" began Chiro. "He is trying to take over the universe and it's our job to stop him. Maybe you could join us and help us defeat Skeleton King."

"I don't know…" began Xan. He was not used to trusting people. Even on his home planet he could remember no comrades, no friends. Merely allies, co-workers, and acquaintances, people who you saw but generally left you alone. He had been alone for so long that trusting others was a foreign concept. The fact that these separate individuals could work together as a team was a mystery to him.

"No way!" shouted Sprx. "He'd just get in the way!"

"I can assure you I wouldn't" said Xan coolly. "I am just not used to working on a team. I work alone."

Chiro pondered this for a moment and then said "Well, you could still join us and help us as an ally. That way you can still fight the evil you have been tracking and you wouldn't have to be on a team. Does that sound agreeable to you?" Chiro held out his hand, waiting for an answer. He didn't know why he so badly wanted Xan on their side, but something told him that this man held a very important part in their fight against Skeleton King.

Xan hesitated a moment, and then gingerly held out his hand. "Very well."


	4. Aquaintances

Chapter 3: Acquaintances

Later that day, Sprx stormed his way down to the training facility fuming. How could the others just trust this 'Xan' fellow so quickly and easily? I mean, did you see what he was wearing? How he had avoided all of their questions? The mask itself was a proof of his evil! And then there was that powerful force exerted earlier. Their trusting nature was going to be their downfall. And when he was proven right and this 'Xan' exposed himself as the Skeleton King's minion he'd be there saying "I told you so!" Consumed in his musing and fuming, he didn't notice the other figure in the training room. And as the figure did not give any sign as to recognizing the red monkey, he obviously didn't know Sprx was there

Sprx was startled out of his musings as he heard a body thud to the ground. As he looked up, he saw _two_ Xans combating against each other. One had just thrown the other to the floor but soon he was up again and was throwing punches and jabs at him with precise and deadly accuracy in quick succession. The other Xan was blocking them as they came and seemed to not be yielding at all. It was a beautiful dance of kicks, spins, punches, and throws the likes of which Sprx had never seen in his life. And that was saying something. After all, he had seen many martial arts masters and Nova fight it out. But this was deadly accuracy and precision rolled into an exotic battle for dominance and victory. He was mesmerized by the sword-like grace which both fighters seemed to exude. He then gathered his thoughts to realize there were _two __Xans_ in the Robot now!! He distinctly remembered there only being one. Again his anger and suspicion rose.

"Hey!! Why are there two of you now?!" he asked angrily. With almost super-human control, the Xans stopped their attacks millimeters away from their targets and bowed to each other. Then, they were covered in a pale blue light. When the light faded, there was only one Xan.

"Can I help you with something?" asked Xan politely but with a cool edge to it, as though that politeness had been forced. Which, considering who he was talking to, probably was.

"Yeah! Answer my question!" yelled the irate Sprx, desperate to have some ammo against the seemingly infallible Xan.

Xan sighed. "The other Xan you saw would be my shadow."

"I'm not stupid!!" yelled the monkey, furious for being talked to like a child. "I know what a shadow is, and that was definitely solid!"

"I used my energy to create a solid being from my shadow" answered Xan, growing weary of this monkey's accusations and questions. "Excuse me." He made to leave the room, when suddenly Sprx launched himself at Xan, landing a punch square on Xan's jaw.

Though surprised, Xan narrowed his eyes, easily slipped into battle mode, and prepared a counter-attack. Sprx was proud of himself for hitting Xan, when suddenly he had to quickly block Xan's rapid attacks. By distracting Sprx with a fist to the face, which the monkey easily blocked, he was able to land a solid jab in the monkey's stomach. With a feral growl, Sprx leapt into attack mode.

For an hour they fought, each landing hits on the other; Sprx decidedly fewer than Xan, until Sprx was panting with exertion. What ticked him off the most was that Xan looked completely normal and relaxed, as though this whole time he had been playing with the monkey. He was caught off guard when Xan spoke up saying "You may want to rest, you're over-exerting yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do, you mindless minion!" shouted Sprx, enraged at the audacity of the man before him. He was part of the Hyper Force for goodness sakes! Not some pansy who would give out when the fighting got tough. In his raging, he neglected to notice the slight shift in weight that Xan made. "Oof!" Sprx didn't even see the attack. He was on his back with a hand aimed straight at his jugular.

"Opponent down" said Xan calmly, not moving the slightest inch while he said it. They stayed still for minutes on end, each waiting for the other to make the first move. "Are you going to stay down on the ground the whole day?" asked Xan. Sprx growled as a reply. "I am not your enemy, nor am I your friend…but, perhaps we can be acquaintances?"

Sprx pondered this for a moment, 'Do I really want to be on his bad side? Besides, he has a chance to kill me now, and he's not taking it. Maybe…he isn't with the Skeleton King.' He slowly raised his hand. "How do you do, my new acquaintance?"

Xan held out his hand saying "Fine, acquaintance."


	5. Trying to Understand

Chapter 4: Trying to Understand

The next day, Chiro decided it was time to get to know the stranger they had allowed on their ship. So, he went off to go look for him. First, he checked in the rooms they had given him. No sign of Xan. Then, he checked in the training room. No Xan. He looked in all of the obvious places, but still couldn't find Xan. Getting frustrated he remembered something Antauri told him one day, "When one has eliminated the possible, try the impossible." So, he tried looking in the other monkey's rooms. Still no Xan. He was wondering where that mysterious man had run off to, when he heard two voices debating quietly. Chiro decided to listen in as he recognized one of them as Antauri's stately voice.

"Why do you feel as though other people are a waste of time?" asked Antauri.

"Other people get in the way, confuse you, hurt you, and do other things that make life generally unpleasant. Why do you enjoy the company of other people so much?" responded the second voice, which Chiro now realized belonged to Xan. It seemed as though Chiro was not the only one curious about their new ally.

Antauri seemed stunned by the answer. What had led this man to think that other people were a waste of time? "I enjoy being with people who care about me" answered Antauri carefully.

"How do you know they are not just using you?" responded Xan.

"I trust them, got to know them, and they demonstrate it through small acts of kindness" responded Antauri

"Trust is a human emotion, an emotion that is very easily broken or proven wrong. You never know if you know the real person or just the image they want to project. Kindness is practically in the same boat as trust. A frail word with no real definition or merit. Something someone does to be kind could actually turn out to be the worst thing they had ever done to the person they were trying to help. Knowing this how is human interaction worth the time or effort you put into it?" responded Xan.

Chiro was shocked at the man's cynical outlook on life. What had made the man this way? It seems that Antauri was struck by the surprisingly cynical outlook as well, for he didn't respond for quite some time.

"I suppose the happiness one gets from being around others makes it worth the risk" said Antauri.

"Ah," said Xan, "but happiness is relative to the beholder. It has no definition as well. What makes one happy makes another miserable."

"But that is the beauty of happiness" said Chiro, finally revealing himself to the two debaters. "Its changeability is what makes happiness possible for everyone."

"I see you finally decided to join us young Chiro" said Xan.

"Yeah" said Chiro, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Well, I guess we will end this debate for now Antauri" said Xan standing up to leave.

"Hold on!" said Chiro. "I want to ask you some things."

"Like what?" asked Xan, sitting back down.

"Like, where are you from?" asked Chiro, pulling up an empty space of floor.

Xan sighed "I'm from a planet far away. Young Chiro, I hope you can understand, but I don't feel comfortable telling strangers about my past. It is not important. Nor do I expect to make friends in this journey. I have no need for friends. I am your ally and nothing more." After his statement, silence reigned.

"Why don't you trust us?" asked Chiro, a little hurt that the man did not seem to particularly care if he made friends of the Monkey Team or not.

"I have already answered that question" answered Xan. "May I ask you a question now?"

"Of course" said Antauri.

"Why are you all together like this? I mean, why are these particular people in your team?"

Chiro and Antauri looked at each other, each trying to decide how to best answer the man's question. "Well," began Chiro, "I suppose we should start at the beginning. But let me warn you, it's a long story." Xan nodded and settled down into a more comfortable position.

"It all began with a man known as the Alchemist…" began Chiro. For the next few hours, the three remained sitting there with Chiro and Antauri telling Xan their story. Somewhere along the line, Sprx, Nova, Otto, and Gibson joined their group and helped tell the story as well. Xan was a good listener, asking for clarification and mentioning his interest at just the right time. For some reason, the team felt better after revealing their story to the man, even when he refused to tell his. It was as though a huge burden had been lifted off their backs. "And now," continued Chiro, "we're traveling space, trying to defeat the Skeleton King."

Xan was quiet for a moment, as though he was unsure of how to respond. Finally, he took a deep breath, as though bracing himself for something. "Thank you all for telling me your story. Now, I think I can trust you with some of mine. I am from a planet known as Shadari. It was a peaceful planet while under the rule of Magistrate Phlen. But, everything changed after his gruesome murder. His Undersecretary Marcus Flanget took over is his place. This man is an evil, conniving bastard, who only serves himself. I worked in one of the offices that disagreed with his promotion to power. One day, the army invaded our office, claiming that new evidence pointed to us as the murderers of Magistrate Phlen. We were all thrown in jail. I watched as my bosses and co-workers were either put to death or sold off into slavery. During that time, I always thought they just liked to see me in misery and that is why they kept me alive. However, it was there that my life changed forever. I met a man who all the guards claimed was mad. He talked of great power residing in people. It was he who taught me how to harness the power within myself that eventually led to me accepting my place as a Xenite."

"A Xenite, what's a Xenite?" asked Otto.

"Our power comes from a source known as Xen. It is an energy flowing through all life forms. However, very few know how to control it. I have just recently figured out that I am the last of the Xenites alive. No one is willing to believe me when I say that any person has power, they just need to learn how to control it." At this statement, Xan quieted down and stopped talking. Chiro noticed a sad look in the man's normally passive eyes. However, this spark of sadness was gone so suddenly, that Chiro almost thought he had imagined it. "That's all I'm ready to tell you today" said Xan. "Perhaps some other time, I will tell you the rest."

With that, he got up and left the room, leaving the Monkey Team to ponder Xan's sad predicament.


	6. What Happened Next

Chapter 5: What Happened Next

Chiro woke up the next morning with a question on his lips, "What's the rest of Xan's story?" This one question had plagued him throughout the night and into his dreams. All night he was haunted by the cliff-hanger left to him by Xan. He decided that he would find out the rest of Xan's story, today.

With that decided, Chiro went off to Xan's room. He knocked on the door and received a polite 'Come in' as a response. When he opened the door, his eyes met Xan floating in the middle of the room with all of the furniture and contents of the room floating around him.

"Ah, young Chiro", began Xan, "to what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

"Umm…" said Chiro hesitantly, glancing questioningly at the rather large objects currently circling over head.

Xan chuckled. "Don't worry young Chiro. They won't crash onto you. However, if you'll feel more comfortable with them on the ground…" Immediately, the furnishings of the room went back to their respective places and stayed there.

"Awesome" whispered Chiro. "I thought only Antauri could do that."

Xan chuckled again at the boy's endearing naiveté. "No young Chiro. All powers make use of the manipulation of everyday objects."

"Oh" said Chiro. An embarrassing silence came over the two occupants of the room.

"Was there something you wanted to discuss with me, young Chiro?" inquired Xan, settling himself on one of the large chairs in the corner of the room.

"Huh? Oh right!" said Chiro, jerked out of his silent musings by the question. "What's the rest of your story?"

After hearing the question, Xan sighed. "I had a feeling it was going to be something along these lines. Young Chiro, what you must realize is that I have never sought out companionship for myself unless I absolutely had to. Trust is a foreign concept to me. Merely being in such close quarters with you and the rest of the team is putting me out of my comfort zone."

Chiro paused when he heard this. It wasn't that he didn't know what he wanted to say to the man he had come to think of as a friend, he just couldn't figure out how to word it. "Well…trust is…fragile. That much is true, yet it is also strong. Strong enough to support life, love, friendships, everything is based on one's ability to trust another." At this Chiro got a far-away look in his eyes. "The ability to trust another with yourself, everything you are, is a rare gift. No one is born with it, they build it; working to make it second nature." He turned to smile at Xan "If you want, I'll help you trust."

Xan sat quietly for a minute, clearly struggling with Chiro's argument. Did he want to learn to trust? One look into the boy's youthful, innocent, blue eyes the answer came to him. "Eventually I ended up roomed with 'the crazy magic man', as the guards called him." Chiro was surprised at the sudden shift in subjects, but smiled as he realized that Xan was opening up to him, answering that yes he did want Chiro to teach him how to trust.

"Immediately, I could see that the man's eyes didn't hold a shred of insanity in them. His eyes sparked with intelligence, wisdom, and deep sadness. I started to talk to him, hoping to gain some knowledge of things beyond my world. He was a well-read man and he told me that he saw me as a curious person with a good head on my shoulders. One day, I asked him what the power was he talked about so much. He said to me 'Ah my boy, this power I speak of is life and yet it does not exist in all life. It is a power the powerless have. A power the strong do not know. A power the evil can never taint. It is goodness, love, kindness, pity, and compassion. But it is also pain.' At the time I didn't understand what he meant, even now I don't. All I knew was that I wanted power and strength so that I could protect myself. I asked him to teach me, at first he was hesitant. He asked me what my purpose was for gaining power. I told him it was for protection. When I told him this he got quiet and then began to explain the complexities of Xen. I was a rapid study and soon moved onto the manipulation of objects. I also began meditating. Our lessons continued for a year. Then, my master began to get sick. It was on his deathbed that he told me to fight evil for those who couldn't and to spread the word of a power that made the weak strong. After he died, I continued studying Xen. I began to think of new ways to use the basic powers I had been taught. I also began to teach myself martial arts, fighting against other inmates at meal and shower times. I grew in strength and knowledge. Then one day, it all changed."

After finishing this part of his tale, Xan got quiet.

"What happened?" asked Chiro, eager to learn more. "Why did it change?"

"I'm afraid that's all I can tell you today" said Xan. "It's almost time for combat training and Nova will be looking for you."

Chiro huffed then asked "Are you going to come too?"

Xan hesitated and then said slowly "Yes, I will come watch you and your team practice fighting. Perhaps I may learn some new moves." Xan lifted himself out of the chair and then held out a hand to help Chiro up from the floor. As they walked along the hall to the training room, Chiro wondered when he would learn this enigma's full story.

But he was glad that after trying to get to know this man, he would be teaching him something new.


	7. A Lesson in Fighting

Chapter 6: A Lesson in Fighting

A fighting lesson with Nova was always an adventure. A fighting lesson when the whole team was involved was a cacophony of punches, kicks, exhales, and heavy breathing. They had been sparring for the last hour, Nova versus Sprx, Gibson versus Otto, and Antauri versus Chiro. Xan had been watching in the background, eyes flitting from one pair to the next; taking in every jab, every punch, every dodge.

If he had to rate their level of fighting experience he would say on a whole, they were moderately high. They could probably beat most fighters out there, at least those with no formal training. Also, their styles were all very different. Chiro and Sprx seemed to like charging headfirst into the fight, letting instinct guide their attacks. Antauri and Gibson liked to dodge the first attacks and gauge their opponent's strength before actually attacking. Nova and Otto seemed to combine both methods of fighting, sometimes attacking headfirst and other times gauging the skill of their opponent. Of all the methods of fighting, theirs was probably the most effective. Each style had merit, but when you combined both, you got the best of both methods and excluded the negative aspects.

Chiro and Antauri stopped fighting, each panting slightly with exertion. Chiro grinned at Antauri and said "I guess I'm not the defenseless kid you guys brought in anymore am I?"

Antauri smiled at Chiro and said "I guess not."

Xan cleared his throat and the pair looked at him "I'd like to spar with you young Chiro."

Chiro grinned, excited for the opportunity to see Xan in action. "Alright, but don't think I'll go easy on you."

Xan chuckled. "Don't worry. I don't expect you to."

Xan and Chiro took up their respective positions as Antauri called the rest of the team over to watch. Sprx was feeling a little apprehensive. He had fought Xan and he knew his capabilities. Chiro didn't stand a chance.

"Begin!" shouted Nova, bringing her hand down to signify the beginning of the fight.

Chiro immediately launched into a straight punch aimed at Xan's jaw. Xan sidestepped and grabbed Chiro's wrist, using Chiro's momentum to swing him around. "WHOA!!" Around and around Chiro went until Xan released his wrist, sending him flying into a wall. Chiro crumpled to the ground, and then stood shakily saying "Alright, no more mister nice guy!" He launched himself at Xan, who had remained silent at this declaration merely falling into fighting stance, throwing punches and jabs at the man. Xan expertly dodged all but one which Chiro had thrown at him while Xan was defending against a leg and a left fist. Xan was surprised Chiro could maintain his balance while three of his limbs were being used for an attack. Perhaps he could help the boy develop this latent talent so that he could create deadly tri-combos. On and on they fought each landing hits on the other, though Chiro was landing fewer than Xan. Chiro thought to himself 'Man, I can't keep this up. He's too good! Look at him, he isn't even sweating or breathing hard!' It was true, Xan looked as though he had been on a jolly stroll rather than fighting a fight that even had Nova gaping at its complexity. Lost in thought, Chiro didn't notice the slight shjift in weight Xan had made. "Oof!" Chiro never saw the attack and was on his back with a hand aimed straight at his jugular.

"Opponent down" said Xan, straightening and offering his fallen opponent his hand. Chiro gaped for a moment and then allowed Xan to help him up. The rest of the team was shocked. Nova finally spoke what all of the monkey's had on their minds.

"Oh my God! Xan, where'd you learn to fight like that?! Who's your master?"

Xan hesitated for a moment before pushing himself to tell them "I didn't have a master. At least not for this." The team gaped at him, particularly Nova, who thought it was impossible to get very good at fighting without at least a little instruction. "I watched other inmates fight amongst themselves and then I started training myself in my cell. Eventually, the other inmates noticed I was getting stronger and challenged me to fights. I accepted and learned to fight better by fighting them. Sometimes, if the inmate I was fighting with had friends, they would join the fight and I would be fighting up to six people. My acquaintances generally stayed out of it."

"Wow" said Gibson, the normally well-spoken monkey stunned to monosyllabic words.

Xan seemed to brace himself then tentatively said "I…could teach you some moves, if…if you want."

Chiro was glad that the man started to open up to them and beamed as he answered "We'd love to learn some of your moves!"

"Yeah" said Sprx "Especially that finishing move!"

Chiro glanced at the red-furred monkey. "What move are you talking about Sprx?"

"The one that landed you on your back" Sprx answered. "You used that one on me that time we fought right?"

Xan hesitated then answered "Yes."

"Show me" said Chiro, desperate to learn what had ultimately defeated him.

Xan stood in the middle of the room and assumed his basic battle stance which had his right foot in front, weight on the ball with his left slightly behind. His arms were raised to about chest height with his elbows tucked into his side. He then slightly shifted his weight from the ball of his right foot to the ball of his left foot. Then a flash extended from the right side of his body. He then knelt with his right hand pointed at where his opponent's jugular would be, if he had an opponent. Then he stood up.

The team blinked for a moment. "Um…" said Chiro.

"Could you slow down the move until it is slow enough for the naked eye to see?" asked Antauri, who with his robotic eyes could see the attack fine. It was beautiful and deadly.

Xan nodded then assumed his basic battle stance again. Again he shifted his weight slightly. Then he slowed down the move so the team could see it. He slowly extended his right leg in a small sweep behind the fake opponent's knee and slowly sent out his right hand to push the fake opponent backwards over his leg. Then he hooked his arm so that the right elbow collided with the solar plexus of his invisible enemy. Then he kneeled and pointed his right hand in a jab that would be pointed at the jugular of his enemy. Then he stood.

The team was stunned. This move was beautiful, practical, powerful, and deadly all at once.

"Wow" again Gibson could only speak in monosyllabic words. "Could you teach us that move?"

"No" said Xan.

"Why not?" asked Otto, confused.

Xan got a faraway look in his eyes and answered "That move is designed to kill another person. I do not want to teach you moves that were designed for murder. Instead I will help you develop your latent fighting skills. For example, young Chiro has excellent balance. He was able to attack me with three of limbs while still maintaining a strong balance on his leg." Chiro blushed a little at the praise. "So I would teach him how to utilize his natural balance to create powerful tri-combos."

"So basically," observed Gibson, once more able to speak, "you would find our natural strengths and teach us to combine those with skills we have been developing to create powerful personal attacks."

Xan nodded.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" asked Otto, eager to learn his strength and create new attacks that would help him defeat Skeleton King's minions.

Xan smirked; at least they think he did. All that the team saw was a slight rustle of his mask material in the general area of his mouth. "I'm waiting for you to be ready for my teaching methods."

"I think we can handle it" said Nova sardonically, a little upset that their ally wasn't taking them seriously.

Sprx tapped her on the shoulder and said "Nova, I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Why, we're the Hyper Force for crying out loud! Not some pansies that can't handle a little hard work!"

Xan's smirk broadened, again suspected smirk, as he said "If you're sure then let's get started."

For the next six hours, the Hyper Force was put through hell under the tutelage of 'Drill-Sergeant Xan'. He brought them to the brink of death and back again. At least in their minds he did. Xan insisted he was talking it easy on them. After that training session they began to wonder if Xan was insane or just sadistic.

Xan just smirked.


	8. A Lesson in Trust

Hey all, YusukesLover here. Hope you are all enjoying the story. I just wanted to remind you all of the importance of pressing the little button at the bottom and reviewing. LOL, anyway, seriously review. I want to know what you guys think about the story so far. Even if you don't have an account, I will still accept the reviews. Also, I'm sorry I didn't update last week. For those of you who read advidly, you notice I post just about every week. I was sick last week so that's why I didn't post. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 7: A Lesson in Trust

After practicing with Xan for what seemed like an eternity in hell, the team was exhausted, and _hungry_. It was decided that they would eat enough for an army first and then fall into bed like a bunch of dead corpses and sleep for a week, all the while having nightmares of a sadistic, mask-wearing, smirking bastard. Said bastard was still smirking at them, so the team shuffled off grumbling about insane Drill-Sergeants wearing all black who could move really fast and that they all still 'secretly' respected.

Antauri set about making the hot dish, he decided something filling. Stir-fry chicken with rice and vegetables. Gibson got everyone drinks. He dictated that each member had to drink at least two glasses of water before drinking anything else, making sure to lecture them on the dangers of dehydration. Not that the team was complaining, they were thirsty. Nova decided that she was going to make a fruit salad to go along with the meal. After all, after a workout like that, the team needed their vitamin C. The current bane of their existence had finally entered the kitchen, freezing up when he saw Anaturi, Gibson, and Nova taking care of the food preparations.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Otto. "Come on in! I'm sure you're hungry too." As if on cue, the team heard a slight rumbling from Xan's stomach. "See? I knew it" said Otto, trying to hold in a laugh, as Chiro Sprx, and Nova laughed their heads off. Antauri chuckled a little and Gibson stifled his laughter behind his hand.

Xan frowned and put a hand to his offending stomach. A light blue glow, similar to the one the team saw around his unconscious body and the glow Sprx saw around Xan and the shadow, emanated from his hand. A second later he removed his hand saying "And now I'm not."

Gibson frowned "What did you do?"

"Yeah, and what was that blue glow?" asked Antauri.

Xan hesitated and sighed. "That 'blue glow' is Xen. Xen takes on a particular color depending on the person's aura and ability. The lowest power level is red, the highest is white and those who are evil have dark colored aura signatures."

"Oh, so you're…" began Chiro until Gibson interrupted him.

"That doesn't answer my question. What did you do to yourself?" Gibson seemed concerned.

Again Xan hesitated. "I…I.." the next part of the sentence was whispered.

"I'm sorry, we didn't catch that" said Chiro, beginning to get concerned about the behavior of Xan. He felt it had something to do with the trust issue.

Xan took a deep breath, bracing himself for the explosion that was going to follow his words. "I fooled my stomach into thinking it was full and used my power to place the basic nutrients in my body."

"What?!" exclaimed the team, particularly Gibson who, as a doctor, couldn't believe someone was torturing their body so.

"Xan, that's dangerous! What are you thinking?!" exclaimed Gibson.

Xan winced; surprising himself as well as Chiro, who had noticed the small gesture. The team seemed oblivious to gesture. Normally, he wouldn't care what the team felt about him. Why was he now caring about what they said about him? When had he begun to let them in? Gibson was continuing to rant about the detrimental effects of this practice to his health, the team backing him up and occasionally putting in their two-cents. Everyone, even the normally perceptive Antauri, was oblivious to the inner turmoil of the man in front of them.

"Xan?" said Chiro quietly, the rest of the team immediately ceasing their speaking. Xan's head was bowed, his fists stiff by his side, emotions flitting through the normally impassive eyes. "What's wrong?" At this question Xan shot his head up.

"I… I don't…why…when…" the normally eloquent Xan had so many things running through his head he had no idea where to begin nor any idea as to why he was going to tell them about his inner demons. No! He wouldn't tell them! It would only serve as ammo against him later. Sure they were allies now, but as soon as he started to trust, they would turn against him just like everyone else. Even Chiro.

"Xan?" asked Chiro, there was an abrupt shift in Xan's posture. The confused, emotional Xan had been replaced by the 'ever-reliable' emotionless Xan. "Xan, please, tell us what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, young Chiro" stated Xan in a montone.

Chiro stood, eyes flashing between hurt, aggravation, and anger. "The hell nothing's wrong" said Chiro, his calm tone belying his turbulent emotions. "Xan I want you to do something for me." Xan nodded. "I want you to close your eyes." Xan hesitated, and then complied; figuring Xen would allow him to prevent any attack they might throw at him. "Good, now relax your guard." Xan's eyes shot open, Chiro wanted him to what? "Did I tell you to open your eyes?" asked Chiro, walking nonchalantly towards the conflicted Xan. What should he do? Should he refuse and bust his way out of here? No, he didn't know where the hell they were. He figured that he could figure it out if he got out of this robot. But therein lied the problem. He had no idea how to get out of here. All those hallways… He snapped out of it as he noticed how close Chrio had gotten to him. Why didn't Xen pick up on his presence earlier? Then he noticed a turbulent green aura around Chiro. That wasn't Xen, what power was this? "Close your eyes and relax your stance" commanded Chiro, in a tone that dared him to disobey. With a gulp and a cold sweat, he obeyed. "Good. Now I want you stay like that, no matter what I do to you." Xan was in the hands of a madman, at least in his mind he was. He nodded slowly as his limbs began shaking. He felt Chiro's presence an inch to his right and a hand around his waist. Xan's breath hitched as Chiro picked him up. What the hell was going on? He felt himself being moved. Where were they going? All of a sudden, he felt himself drop. He had the instinct to either flail out his arms or use Xen to levitate, but Chiro's words rang through his head. Although he knew he could beat the boy in hand-to-hand combat, he didn't want to be on the receiving end of the power he had felt earlier. So he held his body still as a board, bracing for impact. It never came, he felt himself be surrounded and enveloped by the aura he felt earlier, only this time is was soothing rather than turbulent. He felt himself float there in mid-air. "Open your eyes" he heard Chiro say. Slowly as though afraid of what he'd see, he opened his eyes and gasped. He was floating some 15 feet in the air above Chiro's head. The power left him and he fell and six inches from the floor he felt the power envelope him again stopping him from hitting the ground. After doing this a few more times Chiro lowered Xan to the floor and turned away.

"What…What was…that?" asked Xan hesitantly.

"The Power Primate. I received it when I woke up the monkey team" answered Chiro, not turning back around.

"That was the Power Primate?" asked Xan incredulously. "Amazing, what amazing power."

Chiro turned back around, no smile on his normally cheerful face, "Xan, what I just showed you was not a demonstration of power. It was a lesson in trust."


	9. Xan's Suffering

Whew! I'm tired…Sorry I didn't post last week, it was vacation and I had no Internet access. Also, I was at Anime Boston. YAY!! Anyway, this chappie is really long…five pages on my computer! Hope you enjoy! YusukesLover

Chapter 8: Xan's Suffering

Xan stood still for a moment, shocked that the young Chiro was so wise. Chiro had noticed that it was because he was having problems trusting the team that he had hesitated in his answer. Xan was a little hesitant to tell them but decided he would tell them of the experiences that led him up to tricking his stomach and body into nourishment. "Well…" Seeing Xan about to start his explanation, Chiro and the rest of the team; who had followed them to where they were currently standing, looked at him expectantly. "Let's go back to the kitchen so you can eat while I tell you why I trick myself into feeling full." Chiro finally smiled and nodded as they all went back to the kitchen and began to dig in.

"As you all know, I was in prison on my home planet for quite a long time." They nodded. "Well, soon after my master died, the pompous 'Magistrate Extraordinaire' decided he was sick of my ugly mug being locked in prison. It was time to kill me. So I was brought to court and sentenced to death by astro-life."

"What's astro-life?" asked Gibson.

"Ironic name isn't it?" replied Xan cheekily. "Basically they mercifully give you enough air, food, and water for one week. Then they drop you on an abandoned asteroid somewhere and you die by lack of oxygen." They gasped, shocked at the barbarity of this act. "At first, I was terrified. How was I going to live without air? But then, I got to thinking. If I could manipulate matter around me, maybe I could manipulate the processes of my body in such a way that I wouldn't need oxygen, water, or food. But I had little time; they took me out to the asteroid the day after the sentencing. I only had one week."

"Impossible!" cried Gibson.

Xan smirked and said "Apparently not impossible as I'm still alive." This statement brought silence as the team waited to see how this was going to end. "When they dropped me on the asteroid, that bastard smiled at me and whispered into my ear 'I killed the Magistrate.' The anger that coursed through me at being wrongly accused was enormous, my aura burst from my body and I came out of my body. "

"What do you mean?" asked Otto.

"I watched the proceedings from outside my body while my body interacted in the environment I was in. I let my emotions get the better of me and Xen took over my body. So I watched as my body killed that man using the finishing move I showed you." Now they understood why Xan had gotten a faraway look in his eyes when they asked him to teach them that move. "As punishment they took away half of the food. If I took half rations I could still make the week. As soon as they left I started working on the breathing problem. I looked inside my body and observed the processes of respiration. I memorized every step and every molecule that was used in the process. It did take awhile though, at 

least three days. During this time, I didn't sleep too afraid that I would never wake should I close my eyes. After fully memorizing the processes involved in respiration, I started using Xen to manipulate said processes. I still couldn't manipulate them enough to survive without oxygen until the final day. Finally I got it."

"Oh! So that's why you weren't wearing an air mask when we found you" stated Nova.

"Indeed. By now manipulating my body processes is second nature. I don't even need to think about it. After getting along without air, I knew I needed to work on the water and food problem. I only had two days left of water and one day left of food. You can survive for a few days without food, but you must have water at least once every three days. I decided that I would work on that situation first. I repeated the same process I used with respiration except this time observing and copying the process of digestion and metabolism. It took three days to manipulate my body into thinking it had water and placing H2O into my body using Xen. Now the big hurdle was how to trick my stomach into thinking it was full while somehow getting the nutrients it needed. I didn't have any more food left so I couldn't observe the process like I did before. However, I did observe the process of digestion for water so I had a general idea of how it worked. But I didn't know what nutrients a body needed beyond the basics; protein, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, iron, etc. So I just guessed at what my body needed and it seemed to work, except I didn't get as much muscle tone as I used to and my body slimmed way down."

"You probably have a lack of many nutrients" said Gibson, disapprovingly.

"I didn't have a choice. However, the time spent on that asteroid did afford me a lot of time to learn and perfect the intricacies of Xen."

"You must have suffered greatly" noticed Antauri.

Xan hesitated here, looking a little taken-aback. "Not really, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It wasn't all that bad. I got to be alone, I had freedom I never had on my home planet, and I could be who I wanted to be."

"So…can you eat?" asked Sprx.

"Certainly" answered Xan.

"Then why didn't you eat when we offered you food?" asked Nova

Xan hesitated then answered "After being in prison for so long and then alone in outer space, I learned to cook for myself. You never knew who was going to poison you in prison, and I had many people who wanted me dead on my home planet for a crime I didn't commit. So when I saw you all cooking, I just froze up." He looked down, as though he were ashamed. "I didn't trust you."

Chiro smiled realizing that Xan had opened up a little more. "Don't worry Xan. You can trust us to take care of you."

Xan looked up and smirked, not a mean or derisive smirk, but a friendly smirk and said "I know."


	10. Xen

Hey guys! It's YusukesLover! I really need your feedback on this since I want to know how I'm doing. If I do well on this story, I may try writing another full length one in a different genre. So review so I know what you guys like and dislike.

Chapter 9: Xen

Chiro was glad that finally Xan was starting to open up to them. He decided that now was a good time to ask Xan a question he had had on his mind since they picked the man up. "So, Xan, why do you wear a mask?"

At the question Xan seemed to freeze up, but after a few deep breathes he finally replied "It's one of the tenets of Xen. Only those whom you trust without a doubt can see your face, for the face is the gateway to your inner being. A Master may never see his pupil's face; it all depends on how much the pupil trusts his Master. A Xenite may date someone and that person may not see their face until the night before their wedding."

"That's a strange custom" remarked Antauri.

Xan thought for a moment and replied "Perhaps, but Xen is kept and lives in your inner being. All secrets are laid bare, all mistakes made known. Knowing this, is it so strange to want to hide your shameful aspects behind a mask until you find someone you can trust to reveal it to?"

Antauri thought for a moment and then replied "I guess not."

"So, what exactly does Xen entail?" asked Sprx, curious about the mysterious power that Xan seemed to posses.

"Xen is a power that exists in life, yet few recognize in themselves. All creatures have Xen, it is just a matter of them believing that they have it themselves" replied Xan. "Xen entails the ability to manipulate compounds and items in the environment as well as the ability to enhance certain aspects of a person's body. They can manipulate the environment around them and in them as well. For example…" Xan stood up and a light blue glow surrounded his right hand. A few seconds later a thin, blood-red sword shot out from his wirst, startling the Hyper Force.

"What's that?" asked Nova.

"This would be my weapon, Essence Sword" replied Xan. "I manipulate the essences of my body into creating a hard substance that comes out of my wrist in a sword that allows my hands free for hand-to-hand combat. You can feel the edge if you wish." Xan offered the sword to the team. Otto, curious as ever, reached out a hand and felt the edge, yelping as a small cut appeared on his finger. "Careful" cautioned Xan. Otto sucked on his finger to stop the bleeding, shooting Xan a look that sarcastically said 'Thanks for the warning." Xan chuckled a little at the look.

"Does Xen allow for projectile attacks?" asked Gibson.

"Yes" replied Xan. "I call my projectile attack Xen Darts. Basically I concentrate some of the Xen in my body into tiny but sharp needles and shot them from my hands. I can also create a shield using a similar process. I merely concentrate a small portion of Xen into a flat hard substance and project it out of my body through my hands. After it is out, I can sustain it without actually concentrating all that hard."

"Why are you so comfortable sharing all these aspects of Xen with us?" asked Chiro, curious as to why the normally tight-lipped Xan was so open about his power.

"I promised my Master that I would spread the word about Xen. He wanted people to know about Xen. I have tried telling the people on planets I visit to explore Xen for themselves, but they laugh and call me mad. Even though you yourselves cannot use it…"

"What?!" interrupted Nova.

Xan replied, "You already have a power within you. This power has expelled Xen from your bodies. A person who already has power having another power doesn't seem right does it?"

"I guess not" grumbled Nova.

Xan smirked "Fear not. Your 'Power Primate' is nothing to shake a stick at. It was extremely powerful."

Chiro smiled "Thanks."

Xan inclined his head.

Gibson spoke up "Since you can manipulate processes in your body, you must be able to heal very quickly."

Xan smirked and answered "Yes I am. I can also heal others from any wound. Well, that's not exactly true; I can't rid people of poison or illness. That's why I carry an all purpose antidote in my bag." He reached inside the bag hanging at his side and pulled out a small bottle filled with a crystal-clear liquid. "It takes a rather long time to brew though. I only have one left at the moment. Perhaps I should make more." He went into thought for a moment and then said "No, I can't. One of the key ingredients is on my home planet and I don't particularly want to go back there. Last time didn't go so well, I was almost recognized. Oh well, I doubt we'll need the antidote anyway."

"We?" asked Chiro, pleased but surprised.

Xan smirked friendly and replied "You don't think I'd leave you out of the benefits of an antidote if you got poisoned, do you?"

Chiro smiled, knowing this was Xan's way of saying that he was beginning to trust them. "Thanks."

Xan smirked and said "You probably should all go and get some rest. My training is probably starting to catch up on you." As soon as he said this, Chiro yawned largely and blushed. "I thought so. Go get some sleep, all of you." Sprx was about to protest, but then yawned. Xan chuckled and said "Perhaps we'll talk more after you all rest." Without a word, the team each went to their respective rooms, leaving Xan alone in the kitchen. 'It feels good to be able to open up. But, I can't trust them implicitly yet. Perhaps soon though.'

At this thought, Xan smirked and left the kitchen.


	11. Leading Up to Meeting You

Hey all! YusukesLover here! I hope you are all enjoying this story. I enjoy writing it very much. I have received reviews asking when the action will begin. Next chapter. You still need to know the rest of Xan's story. Be patient all, and enjoy this week's update.

Chapter 10: Leading Up to Meeting You

Chiro woke the next morning to the smell of something wonderful cooking. 'I wonder what Antauri is cooking' he thought to himself, smiling as his stomach began to agree with his assessment of the wondrous smells coming from the kitchen. With that thought, he got out of bed and dressed. As he left his room, he noticed the other monkeys coming out and sniffing the air.

"Hey, something smells good" remarked Otto, always ready for a good meal.

"Mmmmm" sighed Nova in bliss. "Whatever it is, it smells really good. Antauri has really outdone himself."

"I'm not the one cooking" said Antauri.

"Antauri? If you're not cooking, then who…" Chiro stopped his thought as he entered the kitchen and his jaw dropped at the sight in front of him. Xan was standing in front of the stove flipping something that resembled a pancake, but didn't smell like one. Around him were various skillets, from which marvelous smells were wafting into the team's noses; tantalizing them with their scent and causing their salivary glands to work double time.

"Ah, you're awake" commented Xan. "Please come in, the main dish is almost done."

Chiro found his voice again and asked "What's all this Xan?"

Xan turned and smirked his friendly smirk responding, "On my planet, it is customary to thank someone by making them a meal. This is to thank you for your lessons in trust and for taking me in." He bowed and then went back to cooking.

"It wasn't like we were going to leave you out there" mumbled Chiro, embarrassed at the splendor of the food that Xan had begun plating for them.

"It's no trouble. Please, sit, eat" said Xan gesturing to Chiro's chair, even going as far as to pull out his chair for him.

"Um, Xan? What _is_ all this?" asked Sprx, a little hesitant to dig into food that he had never seen before.

"All of these foods come from my home planet. The flat main dish is called Shmin. It is made with cornflower, milk, and bits of fresh fruit. The hot side dish is called Clarva. It is made with a root called Va and spiced with some of the most common spices on my home planet. Since you didn't have any Va or any spices from my home planet, I made it using potatoes, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. 

These resembled the foods on my planet enough that it tastes about the same. The cold side is called Viste. It is a mixed of pureed fruit and some cinnamon. The drink is merely some orange juice."

"Why isn't there any meat?" asked Otto, a little put out by the lack of his favorite food in the breakfast.

"On my planet we hardly have any animals. Also, Xenites are forbidden from eating meat due to our belief that Xen runs through all life" answered Xan.

"I see" said Chiro. The food began to tempt him and so he took the first bite. "Wow! This is so good!"

Xan inclined his head and gave his thanks. At this remark from Chiro the rest of the team began sampling the delicacies from Shadari.

"Mmmmmmmmmmm" was the general consensus. So the team spent the rest of the meal, this time Xan partaking of the food before him, laughing and joking around.

"So Xan" began Chiro as the meal began to end. Xan looked up at him. "I've been wondering about this for awhile. How did you get off that asteroid and come to be where we were?"

Xan paused for a moment, this time not out of hesitation, but out of ponderous thought. "I got off the asteroid easily. I flew."

"Where's your ship then?" asked Sprx, ever the pilot.

Xan smirked and responded "Not that type of flight. I just forced Xen through my feet and flew." The team's mouths dropped open and Xan chuckled at the rather ridiculous look on even Antauri and Gibson. "As for how I got to where you were, well that's a long story." The team closed their mouths, nodded their heads, and settled into a more comfortable position. "I have been in space for a very long time, twenty years to be exact. After I left the asteroid, I tried to go back to my home planet and resume life there. However, someone recognized me and I had to escape before the police tried to capture for the 'murder' of two different Magistrates. I realized I could never go back there. Murder is not a crime that has a statute of limitations. They would always look for me and it wasn't home anymore. So I decided to find a new planet to live on. I traveled from planet to planet, trying to find a place I could live comfortably. Every time I landed though, there was some evil that needed to be fought. I promised my Master that I would fight evil for those that couldn't fight for themselves. But once I fought, all anybody ever wanted me to do was be their hero. I didn't care to be their hero, as I said, they weren't my friends. The only reason I helped them was because of my promise to Master. So, when the pressure became too much, I would leave. The fact that nobody wanted to listen to me about Xen wasn't helping their case either." Xan huffed and then continued saying "The process just kept repeating and so I stayed out in space, free and alone. I just traveled from one vacant planet or asteroid to another. One day, I found the ancient temple of the Xenites. I finally thought I could belong there, since everyone would have the same if not stronger capabilities than myself. But as I entered, I noticed everything in disrepair. Nobody was around. I looked in the great library and found a book that was 

magically created to keep record of all the Xenites in existence. As I read the book, every name but mine was in red. Red meant that that particular Xenite was dead. Every other Xenite died."

"How did they die?" asked Chiro, confused as to how so many powerful people could just be dead.

"Some from old age, others from wounds obtained in battle, others from sickness, it was a long list. At first I was shocked and then I was sad. This meant that if I didn't find a pupil, then I was the only one with my capabilities and the last Xenite. Once I died, the power would remain unused until someone taught it to themselves and that is nearly impossible. Without knowing the basics, it is nearly impossible to teach yourself. I would fail my Master. So I left and began spreading the word of Xen more faithfully and often. I was chased off some planets for being insane. I was heading to another world when I felt the presence of this 'Skeleton King'. It was the most evil presence I have ever felt, so in keeping with the promise I made with my Master, I followed it hoping for an opportunity to get in and attack it."

"And that's when we hit you" deduced Gibson.

"Indeed. I was hoping from one asteroid to another, hoping to get out of your way, but you came in faster than I estimated. And now you all know my full story. The only people in the entire universe to ever know it in its entirety."

"Thank you for trusting us with your story" said Antauri, smiling kindly.

"It is I who should be thanking you" replied Xan bowing low. "You have taught me how to trust, a feat thought impossible by me. "

"No problem" said Chiro with a happy smile. Xan finally trusted them!

Xan looked up and smirked.


	12. Breaking into Skeleton King's Ship

Hey guys!! YusukesLover here!! Well, the moment you've all been waiting for…Da. Da. Da. Daaa!! Action sequences!! W00T!! Anyway, enjoy the action that is coming in this chapter and the next few.

Chapter 11: Breaking into Skeleton King's Ship

The next few days flew by in a blur. The team and Xan spent most of their time training and discussing battle strategies so that they would be prepared for just about anything Skeleton King would throw at them. Any time not spent training was spent either in silent contemplation or anxious fidgeting. Well, most of the team did that. No one could quite figure out what Xan was up to during those times.

Chiro told himself that this was it. They were going to defeat Skeleton King once and for all during this battle. A cloud of anxiety settled over the team as they got in range of Skeleton King's ship.

"We're approaching Skeleton King's ship" stated Antauri.

"How are we going to get on without him picking us up on the radar?" asked Chiro.

A clearing of a throat caught their attention as Xan began speaking. "I can take you there."

"How?" asked Gibson. "Even if you fly us there he will pick us up. We are small, but not small enough to be negligible to radar."

Xan looked at the monkey for a bit and then answered "I have been working on teleportation for a while now." In truth, he had been working on it for many years but had only just managed it perfectly. In these last few days, he had been training himself to teleport himself and then gradually worked on identifying the material that made up the monkey team and using similar compounds to train himself for a multiple organism transport. He had almost perfected that as well.

The monkey team gaped at him. Was there any limit to the power of Xen?

"Are you sure you can handle all of us?" asked Chiro, not doubting that Xan could do it, but he didn't want the man to strain himself so early in the game.

Xan nodded and held out his hand saying "Trust me."

Chiro smiled and nodded, extending his hand to hold Xan's. He looked at the rest of the team, smiling an encouraging smile at them. They looked at each other, nodded, and added their hands on top of the pair's. Xan concentrated on the task at hand; basically he had to dematerialize the group and then focus on the destination, and then rematerialize them there. Not as easy as it sounds. There are many compounds in the human body and there are completely different compounds in a monkey's body. It was hard to keep them all straight. Soon, the team began to feel a tingle in their limbs that gradually spread throughout their bodies. It was a little uncomfortable, but they could deal. All of a sudden, they felt a yank tugging them along by their hands and a whirling force that swept around them. A second later, the feeling was gone and they were in an unfamiliar part of Skeleton King's ship. How did they know they were on Skeleton King's Ship? Well; besides the unmistakable feeling of evil and 

dread, the gray, bonelike walls, and the sound of Formless stomping around, they could be on any other ship. Yeah, they were definitely on Skeleton King's ship. All of a sudden, Xan fell to his knees.

"Xan!" cried Chiro. He knew Xan shouldn't have pushed himself. The team gathered around their fallen comrade, concern etched on their faces.

"I'm alright" he panted. That took more out of him than he expected it to. However, they did travel a bit longer than from one room to another. "I just need a moment to rest."

Antauri nodded his head and went to stand lookout as the rest of the team took up guard around their weakened comrade. Xan leaned back against the wall, closed his eyes and began to meditate. Meditation always helped him recover faster. However, he was hard pressed to keep the Xen that he usually let flow through his environment while meditating under control. They were in enemy territory. He wouldn't allow his power to alert the evil to their presence on its ship. He wasn't absolutely certain if their presence hadn't already been detected. He had tried to hide their auras, but he couldn't be sure he had completely hid them. So he just meditated as best he could while still recovering his energy as fast as he could. In a few minutes he was better. He looked toward Chiro, got up and nodded. Chiro nodded back then nodded at the team. At his nod, they brought out their weapons and ran down the hall. However, just their luck, that the room they ran out into was a large ante theater with nowhere to hide. Even worse, a group of Formless had spotted them and was already heading towards them in attack formation.

"Great, so much for a surprise attack" muttered Sprx wryly. He had hoped that they wouldn't run into any Formless and be able to retain the majority of their strength for Mandarin and Skeleton King.

"Hyper Force Go!" yelled Chiro, launching into a headlong attack. The team had agreed to stick to their old fighting styles until it was absolutely necessary to use the new ones Xan had taught them to use. Since it was a group of low-level Formless, it wasn't necessary to up their game. When Mandarin and other higher-level Formless showed up, they would really bring out their A-game.

Xan had leapt into the attack a second after the team. He had finally decided. These people were his friends. After the battle was over, he was going to show them his face. He was a member of the team, and he trusted them in a way he had never thought possible. He trusted them with his sins, his mistakes, his fears, his imperfections, and even with his life. Xan smiled the first smile he had smiled since he was a naïve child. Friends, trust, happiness; what wonderful words they were. He was brought back to reality as sounds of attacks reverberated off the bony walls of the hall. His face once more fell into his expressionless mask. He had to stay focused.

The battle for the universe had begun.


	13. Mandarin's Scheme

Whew! Another chapter finished…sorry for the late post. I had a dress rehearsal this weekend. I'm in a figure skating exhibition next Saturday. Wish me luck. Some more action is this chapter so I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12: Mandarin's Scheme

The skirmish was more of a slaughter of lower level Formless. The team never even broke a sweat. They were about to move across the antechamber and make their way to Skeleton King's 'throne room' when a dissonance of clambering feet reached their ears. It seemed as though some more friends were alerted to their presence. As soon as they thought this, a large group of higher level Formless appeared brandishing weapons the teams had never seen Formless bearing before. The bane of their existence, Mandarin, came out from amidst the crowd of Formless. He was smiling at them victoriously, as though he had already squashed the team.

"Ah my brethren and insolent boy, so lovely for you to come to us to surrender" cackled Mandarin.

"No way we'd surrender to you!" shouted Chiro. "We are going to defeat you and your master once and for all!"

"I'd like to see you try, you furless monkey!" shouted Mandarin, his expression quickly shifting from victory to one of anger. Saying this, Mandarin ordered the Formless to attack. Some of the Formless ran towards the team firing off energy beams from the hands. Others pulled out bony sword-like appendages and ran towards the Hyper Force. Still others raised up the new weapons they saw earlier. The new weapons looked like old-style blow dart guns.

"Hyper Force Go!" shouted Chiro, dodging an energy beam. The team dodged the arms of the Formless that reached them first and pulled out all the stops. Gibson began to use his tail for devastating, low-sweeping attacks to trip the Formless into his drills. Antauri dodged energy beams in the air while using small bullet-like pellets that Xan had made for him to perform really helpful aerial attacks. Nova used her speed to dodge attacks and then pivot around to the side and punch. Sprx would slide under the Formless and kick them rapidly using his strong feet. Otto, who was good with his hands would block the attacks with his hands then use swirl their arms around his arm and then attack with one of his saws when the Formless tried to pry its hand loose. Chiro's tri-combos where hitting the Formless with devastating accuracy while Xan used his Essence Sword with all the skill of an ancient samurai daimyo.

Mandarin growled and then smirked evilly. "Fire the Skele-darts!' The Formless holding the blow-dart guns blew into them and shot a volley of darts. It was then that Chiro found out the flaw in his tri-combos. He couldn't move out of the way quick enough to get dodge the attack completely.

"Ouch!" One of the darts grazed his leg. It wasn't deep so Chiro stood up quickly saying "Is that all you got Mandarin?!"

Mandarin began to laugh maniacally. "Foolish boy! My Master has graciously allowed me to explore the possibility of poison effects on our enemies. Even a tiny cut allows a highly toxic poison to be released into the body! My research also shows that it is a slow-acting, extremely painful poison."

"What?!" shouted Nova, panicked at the possibility of Chiro dying a slow and painful death.

"Where's the antidote?" growled Sprx trying to reign in his temper.

Mandarin laughed even harder at this. "I haven't had time to concoct an antidote my brother!"

"What?!" the team yelled as one, except Xan who went over to Chiro and projected a shield around the two of them.

"Young Chiro, may I see the wound?" asked Xan

"Uh, sure" said Chiro, a little confused and then he remembered the all-purpose antidote. "Wait! Are you using the antidote?"

"Yes" stated Xan calmly as he looked at the wound and reached into his pouch to pull out the crystal clear vial.

"But what if someone else gets hit?" asked Chiro not wanting him to waste the antidote on him when the others could be in trouble.

"No one else on the team will get hit" stated Xan. Chiro hissed in pain as Xan opened the wound more and poured the antidote into the cut. "I'm going to destroy the blow dart guns the Formless are using. Tell the team to get behind the shield until I get back." Xan wrapped the wound in a piece of material he ripped off of his sleeve.

Chiro searched the man's eyes. Seeing determination and confidence in them he nodded. "Team, get behind the shield with me."

"Chiro, are you alright?" asked Antauri, who had seen Xan use the antidote on their young leader.

"Yeah, stay here with me while Xan goes and destroys the dart-blowers."

"Are you sure you can do it" asked Otto, who had become quite attached to the man.

Xan nodded and then slunk out from behind the shield. He began flying towards the group of Formless. Mandarin noticed the man finally and, though confused as to who this was, ordered the blow-dart Formless to aim it for the man. Xan dodged the darts by swerving towards the wall, wincing as he felt something bony graze his stomach. He then landed and proceeded to open up a can of whoop-ass on the Formless holding the dart blowers. Xan then lowered the shield around the team and proceeded to help them corral the remaining Formless and Mandarin into the middle of the antechamber.

"You will not defeat me or my Master!" shrieked Mandarin as he realized that he would not win this battle.

Chiro calmly walked up to Mandarin, leaving the Formless for the rest of them and said "Yes we will. Monkey Fu!" He let loose a large burst of Power Primate. Xan started, having never seen this attack before. It was really strong, stronger than any of his attacks.

And with that blast, Mandarin was no more.

daimyo - ancient samurai warlord…could be obtained by lineage, prowess in battle, or appointment by a high-level daimyo or the ruling leader of the time.


	14. The Final Battle

Da-Da-Dun!! Hey everyone! YusukesLover here…. Well, this story's coming to a close. But I hope you all have enjoyed reading the story as much as I have writing it. But fear not my loyal fans! Once this one is over I will be writing another story. So keep a lookout! As you can tell by the dramatic entry music, this is the climax of the story. I hope you all enjoy it as it was really hard to write because it was my first time writing something like it. ENJOY!!

Chapter 13: The Final Battle

The team was just getting ready to move when they saw Xan breathing very heavily.

"Xan, are you alright?" asked Nova.

"Yes I'm fine" stated Xan, standing erect and breathing more calmly. "I merely over-exerted myself. I'm ready to go now."

"Well, okay" said Chiro hesitantly. The team glanced at each other and then began to run down the hallway that they assumed led to Skeleton King's throne room. Why did they assume that? Well the strong, evil aura drifting down the corridor was a strong hint. They ran for a few minutes and then, suddenly, the hallway opened up. It seems as though their assumption was correct. There, sitting on his ugly crag of a throne was the devil himself. "Skeleton King! You're time is up!"

"Insolent boy! Do you honestly think that you and your filthy primates can stop me?!"

Chiro stood firm, staring into Skeleton King's pitiless black orbs, defying him and challenging him.

Skeleton King glared back at the boy who dared challenge him. "Very well." He reached out his hand and sent out a burst of energy towards Chiro. Xan leapt over to Chiro and grabbed him around the waist then jumped out of the way of the energy blast. Xan simultaneously cast out a shield in front of the monkey team, who were still blown back by the force of the energy sent out by Skeleton King. Xan landed and then almost fell to his knees.

"Xan! You're hurt!" shouted Chiro.

"It's nothing" replied Xan stubbornly, righting himself. "Merely a scratch. I've dealt with worse."

Chiro looked Xan over once and then said "Xan, what happened?"

Xan sighed "I got scratched by one of the poison darts."

"What?! Are you serious?! Xan are you going to die?!"

Xan looked Chiro in the eye and replied "All things die Chiro. It is merely a question of when."

Chiro began to tear up "I don't want you to die."

Xan smiled at him and said "What will come to pass must come to pass. But right now, we have an evil maniac to defeat."

Chiro gaped at Xan "Aren't you in a lot of pain?"

Xan paused and then replied "Pain is a temporary state of being. I've dealt with worse."

"Are you sure you can handle this?"

Xan brought himself up to his full height and said "Yes my friend."

Chiro was shocked at the use of friend, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. A battle was going on for goodness sakes! While the monkey team were holding their own against Skeleton King pretty well, they were tiring fast. Chiro and Xan looked at each other, smiled briefly, and nodded. Together they launched into a two-person double header. They landed a hit right on Skeleton King's abdomen.

"Filthy vermin!" shouted Skeleton King, stumbling away from the team. "I have no desire to waste time with you!" Saying this, Skeleton King fell into himself and unleashed his full power. His true from was ugly to behold. A monstrous skeleton standing at fifty feet at least towered over the team. The skeleton was black and had huge bony wings with spindly appendages hanging off the form's shoulders. The Skeleton King's energy had tripled at least and blew the team back with its magnitude. Chiro realized that now was the time to unleash the full potential of the Power Primate.

"Guys! Lend me your power!" shouted Chiro over the roaring of the Skeleton King's power. The team looked at each other, nodded and then focused their energy onto Chiro. Xan was awestruck at what he saw. A thirty foot green gorilla form had taken shape around Chiro's body. Chiro's eyes were no longer the innocent blue they normally were, but rather glowed an eerie green color. Chiro and the Skeleton King immediately rushed at each other and engaged in a hand lock duel.

Chiro held his own for a while and then began slipping. The Skeleton King laughed maniacally saying "Insolent, weak boy! You underestimate the power of evil!"

Xan stood up and shouted at the creature "And you underestimated the power of friendship!" Xan concentrated all of his Xen into a massive ball then expelled it out of his body. The energy took on the form of a blue phoenix with Xan's body suspended in the middle of the form. This was Xan's ultimate form. One which had never been seen or used in all his years of life. It was a final, last ditch attack that was only used by Xenites in dire peril or circumstances of insurmountable odds.

The phoenix/Xan gave a mighty shriek and began wrapping itself around Chiro's gorilla. The two forms melded to form a winged gorilla with claws on his hands. Xan's body suspended slightly behind Chiro's, arms widespread as though wings for Chiro's body. The new form rushed at Skeleton King clawing and punching, ripping and tearing. The Skeleton King screeched in pain and anger. But before he could attack, a huge ball of blue-green energy flew into his chest then out his back, destroying his heart. With a final anguished cry, the Skeleton King's body began to disappear in nothingness.

Finally the world was rid of Skeleton King.


	15. The End of Xan

Hey everyone. This story is beginning to come to a close. There is only the epilogue left after this, but have no fear! I intend to write another full length story after this. This time a One Piece story. I'd like to take the time to thank my faithful reviewers and readers for staying with me this far. At the end , you'll get a shout out from me, and maybe a little gift too. Enjoy!!

Chapter 14: The End of Xan

As soon as all of the Skeleton King had disappeared into oblivion, the massive auras that had defended Xan and Chiro vanished and their bodies plummeted to the ground 30 feet below. Barely conscious and with the last remnants of his energy, Xan cast an orb around Chiro's body that slowed down his friends descent. After this he sank into oblivion, happy that he had saved his friend from unnecessary pain and had helped him save the universe from evil.

The Monkey Team ran to catch their falling friends. Sprx and Otto caught Xan and then sank to the floor as the force of the collision raged through their bodies. Antauri and Nova caught Chiro as he slowly descended to the floor. The gentleness of his fall, cushioned by Xan's aura allowed a soft landing and little force.

The ship was beginning to crumble now that Skeleton King was not supporting it. The monkeys ran down the hall, placed a spare oxygen mask on Chiro, and flew out of the ship carrying their fallen comrades to the Robot. Immediately they rushed the unconscious forms to the sick bay and began trying to revive their friends.

Chiro woke up a few moments later back on the Robot and smiled up at the simian faces looking down concernedly at him. "We did it." The Monkey Team smiled back at him, relieved that he wasn't hurt. Chiro slowly looked around, each movement of his head causing him to wince in pain. Even though he was protected by the aura of the Power Primate, Skeleton King's attacks transferred to his body. He then remembered Xan. "Where's Xan?" The monkeys looked at each other and then glanced over to the prone form lying on the bed next to Chiro's. Chiro forced himself up and began to hobble over to the bed, Antauri supporting him. At that moment Xan began to stir and slowly opened his eyes. Chiro gasped as he saw the dullness of Xan's eyes. It was then he realized how much pain Xan must be in. "Why Xan, why? Why did you fight even though you were poisoned?" asked Chiro sadly, the monkeys looked at each other. They had no idea Xan had been hit by the poison darts. They were sad because they knew that since the brave man had used his all purpose healing serum on Chiro, he was going to die. By the sound of his weak breaths, his time was swiftly approaching.

Xan weakly chuckled and looked at the only people he had ever considered friends. "Chiro, I fought because being with you and the others makes me happy. Please, remove my mask. I trust you all with my soul, my flaws, my darkness, and my heart."

Sprx, who was closest to Xan's head, had misty eyes as he removed the mask, touched by the level of trust Xan was showing them. Xan's face was more aged than his body let on. He had crow's feet and some small lines on his face. His lips were full and softly pink, though they were paling by the minute. His skin a pale tan color and his hair perfectly complemented his high cheekbones. It was 

chestnut color with a few streaks of gray streaked through it. The hair went down a little lower than his ears and hit him at the nape of his neck. But his eyes, though they were shown when he wore the mask, were revealed to be beautiful when put together with his face. His eyes were a chocolate color and had weird dots of yellow in them.

"I…I have another favor to ask of you all before I die" said Xan, his voice getting weaker by the second and breaths getting shakier and body quaking with every intake of breathe. The team all had tears in their eyes at this point, certain now that they were going to watch their friend die a painful death. Chiro nodded and Xan continued "In my bag there is a small book. It's like a diary but more of a basic instruction manual for Xen. I ask that you make copies of it and spread the word about Xen throughout your travels. Don't let the power which makes weak fools like me heroes for the lost."

"We promise" said Chiro, voice choked with emotion.

Xan smiled and said "Then farewell my friends. Now I will be able to die in peace, fulfilled and knowing the true meaning of happiness." The team began to weep openly as the light faded from Xan's eyes and his breathes became weaker and less often.

The last Xenite had died.


	16. Epilogue

Dearest Readers, I regret to inform you that this is the last chapter of "The Last Xenite". I would like to thank you for keeping with me for so long. I hope you have enjoyed reading the story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Please enjoy the last chapter.

Epilogue

In several hundred of the large, old libraries around the expanse of space; there resides a section of books completely devoted to the histories and learnings of magic. Huge dusty tomes reside on cobwebbed shelves anxiously waiting for someone to pick them up and discover new powers within themselves. All kinds of magic books reside here, from necromancy to healing. There, amidst the large books of magic spells and principles, nestled between a grimmoire and a "Theory of Bloodmage Spells", lies a thin book with a light blue cover. Such a small, new book seems out of place with the huge, dusty, moldy tomes from times ancient. Should one pick up said book, the title would read "Xen: A Beginners Guide to the Power for the Powerless." After reading such a title, a reader might be tempted to read the foreword. Especially when they see who has written it. Said foreword reads as follows:

"Dear Comrade,

Greetings! If you are reading this, then it seems you are interested in the power for the weak. This book was written by the last Xenite in existence so far. His name was Xan and he was a brave warrior, a strong individual, and a dear friend. Xan died soon after we met saving the universe from the evil being known as Skeleton King. He sacrificed his life so that I might live and to this day I am grateful to him.

Xan once told me that it is almost impossible to learn Xen without some sort of basic instruction. Realizing his predicament, should he fail to survive any battle, he wrote down everything he knew in this book. Though a diary of sorts, it is more an instruction in the basic principles, beliefs, and practices of Xen. In the end, he has also left a map detailing the exact whereabouts of the residence of the Xenites who came before him, in the time when they existed as a mighty and powerful race.

Before Xan died, he gave me this manuscript and asked me to make sure that all of the well-known libraries around the galaxies had a copy of it. He didn't want this power for the weak to die out. He wanted all to know the power that gave him the strength and courage to face many adversaries and trials in his life. In keeping with that promise I present to you 'Xen: A Beginner's Guide to the Power for the Powerless.'

Sincerely,

Chiro, leader of the Hyperforce."

OWARI


	17. Thanks!

Once upon a time there was a young author by the name of YusukesLover. She had a story in mind for quite some time and had revised it several times in her head. One day she decided to finally write it down on her computer. She began writing and did not stop until she was finished. One day, she read it aloud to one of her friends who told her she absolutely MUST post it online. YusukesLover was understandably a little nervous. After all, the only site she wanted to post it on, , was a site that was extremely popular. Millions of people could read her story! Nevertheless , she plucked up her courage and began posting some oneshots, to which people responded favorably. Encouraged by this success, she began to post her story entitled The Last Xenite. Soon after posting it, people began to review. YusukesLover was ecstatic! People liked her story! So she began posting faithfully. Soon, the new writer had a small body of faithful reviewers. Their names were LOTRchic and Antauri's Shadow, they encouraged her so much throughout the writing process and stuck with her through the whole story. Every time she posted, she could count on a review from them that was helpful and extremely fun to read. She loved finding the little review alert in her mailbox the next day. In gratitude, she decided to write them a story about how awesome they were to her. That story is what you have just read.

LOL, thank you so much for sticking with me the whole story guys! Your reviews gave me great advice and lifted my spirits. I hope you guys enjoyed the story and keep a lookout for other stories by yours truly!


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